NEWS UPDATE

Kaz sent this to my attention too late for Quote Tuesday-Monday and I wanted to let you know about it. Sometimes I think we're not we are in Kansas any longer.

SUNDAY VIDEO ON TAP XXXVIII

"The dog is the only thing on this earth that loves you more than you love yourself." - Lord Byron

Thanks Russell.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Kaz sent this in. I don't know much about this group but the "Noah's Ark" game at the bottom is pretty fun. Thanks Kaz.

Jay reports that Catholic Carnival 144 is up and running. Watch for Catholic carnival 145 right here coming this week!

The Diocese of Cleveland E-Newsletter wants you to know about a new Catholic web site called ActiveParishioner.com that provides excellent books and timely resources to bridge the gap that can occur between everyday life and the Catholic faith.

Catholics in a Small Town is an interesting podcast if you need to listen to something and are sick of radio talk talk shows.

SYMBOLIC SATURDAY - ICON SEE YOU

The icon that you have hanging on your wall is more probably a copy of a true icon than an icon itself. A true icon should be made after prayer and fasting. They are created on wood that was primed with glue mixed with chalk. Gold leaf is applied over a red or dull yellow base over which tempera paints are applied then gold details and finally a transparent varnish. Most of the ones we see are prints plastered on wood.

Icons are in a class of Church art all their own. In fact they are part of the Tradition of the Church and have very legislation governing their appearance. Unlike much of Western Church art that can be fairly fluid depending on what a particular artist is trying to get across, producing an icon is much closer to writing out Scripture, there is not the artist’s trying to emote something he feels about the faith, it is rather a bringing to life of a strict language of faith.

Often those of the Western Church fail to see the significance of icons. It should be noted that they are not mere pieces of art. For example a painted picture of the Virgin Mary and an Icon of Mary and Jesus are two very different things indeed! Though we treat sacred images with the kind of respect we might treat a portrait of an honored member of our family, because icons are tools used to incarnate divine and not sensual matters, they deserve the kind of respect that we would offer, for example, the cross on Good Friday or as when the priest kisses the Gospel at mass.

One does not venerate the picture itself or the materials from which it is made, but the ideal that lies behind. That is why icons can look so odd to western eyes. It is not this world that it is trying to present, but the next. One Byzantine priest explained to me that when one gazes upon an icon, one should look through the eyes of the saint depicted into heaven itself. For these reasons icons are to be treated with more reverence than other pieces of sacred art.

More on icons next week.

Some information for this post came from Michael Schauzer’s article, “Driven to Abstraction” in the July-August 2007 edition of “This Rock”.

THE HAND THAT WALKED AWAY

If one buys the idea of Christ founding a Church and that Church is the 2000-year-old Catholic Church, one must also buy the idea of being part of the Body of Christ. Far from a mere symbolic statement, Catholics believe that corporately we become the Body of Christ with Christ Himself as the head. Therefore it is entirely impossible to step outside of the body and remain a member of it. Just like the foot may not say, “Look at that hand playing cards! I am not part of that body,” a person cannot say, “Look at (the Vatican, the bishops, those Catholics, whatever), that is not MY Catholic Church. I am certainly not a part of that.”

We cannot be a member of the parts we like and not the parts we do not like. The unity of the body demands otherwise. “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.” (1 Cor. 12;26) We do not get to enjoy the agreeable parts and disassociate ourselves in the more difficult.

Too often some men and women of faith treat issues of belief as late night radio talk shows treat sports and politics, criticizing and demonizing anyone who does not agree with their particular way of thinking. Matters of faith (and this post is limited to matters of faith and morals as taught by the Church and not an individual's actions) are not so negotiable for the Catholic. There is revelation of truth with which we must contend. Teachings are not “teaching of the Vatican” but our teachings (Thanks Mrs. T) for they are in keeping with Scripture and Tradition. And unlike politics and sports, matters of faith have been given Divine assurances. Christ promised that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church. If the Church does fail, we have more to concern ourselves for then Christ’s entire message is put into doubt. (Therefore, the Catholic who believes that the Church has seriously erred in official teaching on faith and morals has, in the realm of ideas anyway, done away with the Church.)

Does this mean that Catholics are then to shut off their brains and simply obey? Far from it. In fact, the situation is quite the opposite. If one knows truth, it is a force with which one must deal and rectify with the dealings in the world and that requires great action and thought. If one knows the law of physics, one is not stupid or manipulated if one adjusts his teachings, actions, and beliefs to conform to the truth of physics. As a matter of fact we might think them a bit odd not to conform in this way. Likewise if the man or woman of faith knows a matter of faith and morals to be true, they use their freedom and their intelligence to correctly live that truth in the world.

Of course, there may be qualms about how a particular truth is being put into action, but that does not deny the validity of the truth nor does it give one permission to step away from the unity and relationship established by Christ.

If I were all powerful (and I am not) the Church would look much different than it does today (and I think many people would be shocked) but it is not about me or my personal desires, it is about being members of the Body of Christ in the Church He founded. Everything else is a sign that a person of faith is holding on to something inferior far too tightly.

PLAYING HARD TO GET

When I was much younger, had much more hair but a lot less self-esteem, God was kind enough to send me a friend named Jim. Jim was somewhat popular and talented, kind of a wild hair that marched to the beat of his own drum. I was well liked but a bit of nerd I suppose and Jim was exactly the type of friend that I needed at the time.

Jim was constantly popping up wanting to go out and carouse. I worked for a movie theater and would occasionally have to lock up afterwards, the last person walking out into a dark and deserted street. Often Jim would be there sitting on top of his Volkswagen Beetle smoking a cigarette and informing that we were going to hang out.

If I were working too hard, he would come a drag me away from my projects forcing me to take a break. I’d fight it but was always grateful that he made me get away.

It was quite a thing having a friend like that, especially at that point in my life. Jim was not just a friend but also a friend who pursued my company. It seemed wholly undeserved but I had it anyway and that meant an incredible amount to a young man without an over abundance of self-esteem.

Can you imagine what I mean? I wish a friend like that for you. But even more importantly, I hope you realize that you have God that pursues you like that. A God! The God! When we wandered from Him He did not let us go our way but came down to earth to pursue us and united us again with our Father. He spared nothing. Thought you even worth dying for. The only challenge is, we need to realize it.

Sometimes it is hard. His life, death, and resurrection as a gift is believable for humanity in general, but for me personally? Yes. “Before you were knit together in your mother’s womb, I knew you.” His birth was for you. His life was for you. His teaching was for you. His death was for you. His ascension was the pattern He established for you. And since that was not enough, He touches you personally in the sacraments. He makes Himself vulnerable to you by making bread His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity for you, and not just as something to see and worship from afar, but to take on your tongue or into your hands and be consumed by you. Is there anything else He could possibly give? Everything He can give He gives to you. Waits patiently for you day after day, year after year if need be. Always ready to welcome home a prodigal son with ring and robe and calf.

Our part is to become aware of His love and allowing Him to love us. He loves you no less than He loves the one who seems His most beloved on earth. The only difference is that some have the gift of acknowledging and accepting that love, cooperating with that love, and allowing that love into their lives.

Risk it. Risk being so radically loved. Risk knowing it. Risk knowing that even though you have not earned it, He gives it to you anyway. That’s just the way it is.

THE RETURN OF VATICAN II

A number of years ago a bishop came to this diocese to give an opening address at a gathering about Vatican II. The main thrust of his talk was that individuals had to stop promoting what they wanted or thought Vatican II said and start implementing what it actually said. Sad to say that most of the people who came to the gathering tended to be people who were more interested in the “spirit” of Vatican II than Vatican II itself and the anger in the air was palpable. This is perhaps why when Vatican II is properly implemented a great hue and cry goes out in certain circles that “they” are trying to push us back to a pre-Vatican II Church when in actuality “they” are merely adhering to what Vatican II actually said.

In all actuality I am glad we went through the “spirit” aspect of Vatican II. No longer do we have to sit around and wonder if such changes would do us good or harm. We can say, “We tried that and it (did/didn’t) work.”

Today I find that the younger ranks of Catholics care less and less about Vatican II as a rallying point. Not that they do not see it as important, but that it is not the lightening rod it once was. The questions today among serious, practicing Catholics evolve much more around that which is orthodox and that which is not. With this the documents of Vatican II can be appreciated in a whole different light and with much clearer eyes.

As the documents are studies and understood within the context of the greater body of teaching within the Church, it is more and more difficult to justify some of the outlandish practices that have popped up over the past few decades. Wreckovations supposedly mandated by the spirit of Vatican II now give way to restorations. Experimental liturgies give way to praying with the mind of the Church. Manipulations involving secret knowledge of actual intentions of the Council give way to “show me.” The time now is to pay attention to the man behind the curtain. Vatican II is passing out of its awkward youthful stages toward maturity and even more beautiful things should start to blossom if we let it.

TUESDAY QUOTE OF THE WEEK XXXVII

FINDING TRUTH WHEREVER IT MAY BE FOUND: “The quickest way to beget a desire . . .was to satisfy an old one, and each new desire had a way of becoming more expensive than the last.” From Richard Russo’s "Empire Falls"

QUOTE II: “Of course secular weddings always struck him as foreshortened, the ceremony over and done with almost before it began. It took longer to close on a house and Miles couldn’t help noting that purchasing real estate was viewed, these days, as a more serious occasion, an undertaking with more lasting repercussions.” Ibid.

IN OTHER NEWS:

This column originally appeared in the Friday, October 19, 2007 issue of the Catholic Universe Bulletin, the official newspaper of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland.

Free Catholic screen savers here.

Look here for the Holy Father’s intentions for the year 2008.

DAWNING HOPE

Being about six months away from the time of priesthood ordinations every diocese that will have men ordained this year have either already had or will very soon have ordinations to the transitional deaconate. A man must be a deacon for at least six months before he is ordained to the priesthood. Last night five good men were ordained to the transitional deaconate for the Diocese of Cleveland; Deacon Joseph Brankatelli, Deacon Stephen Flynn, Deacon Michael McCandless, Deacon Jared Orndorff, and Deacon Ed Suszynski. Please keep them and all who will soon to be ordained to the priesthood in your prayers.

This year marked a change for this diocese. Not only do we have a new bishop but we also have a new liturgist for the Diocese. I will admit that I went as much to see how different the liturgy would be as much as to see these fine men be ordained.

One of the most drastic changes was that the mass was held at the Cathedral. Deaconate ordination has been held at the seminary chapel in recent decades. It is a nice enough chapel but as you can imagine is rather small which always limited the number of people who could attend. Being held at the cathedral opened the event to the entire diocese (a bit late to let you know that now I suppose!)

The other change was the extensive employment of seminarians. Their fellow classmates (more of our future priests of the diocese) who used to minimally supplement the serving and music ministries now performed the ministries almost in their entireties. They also served as ushers at the doors.

Only toward the end of my stay at the seminary were seminarians given a place to sit en mass. We scattered about the cathedral for any of the events that took place, which unfortunately allowed some to have their view obstructed by the greater downtown area. Later there began to be a designated area for us to sit. Last night those participating in prayerful support sat and it was heartening to this priest, as theologically wonderful as having them spread out may be, to see all of the young men gathered who you hope will make it possible for you to semi-retire in your old age.

Many blessings upon all who are ordained to the transitional deaconate and may you soon be standing with your brother priests on the altar of God to offer the sacrifice of the mass.

SUNDAY VIDEO ON TAP XXXVII

Here's a short little ditty. It may make you want to change your plans today so be careful.



IN OTHER NEWS:

Jay announces that Catholic Carnival 143 is up and running.

LM sent this in to see the Astronomy Picture of the Day from NASA. See the glory of God's creation!

David sent this in about the movie "Bella" which also links to other related stories.

Finally, Kaz sent this in. This is the only day out of year it would be worth mentioning. If you want the tune the Midi button at the bottom will play it for you.

SYMBOLIC SATURDAY - TIME TO BONE UP ON RELICS

Before Vatican II it was necessary to celebrate mass on an altar with a relic of a martyr. It is not absolutely necessary any longer but still highly encouraged. This stems back to the early Church when the Christians celebrated mass in the catacombs on the tombs of the faithful. When the Church emerged from the catacombs the tradition continued by way of having a relic of the faithful as part of altar. This ties us together not only with the ancient Church, but with those who are members of the Body of Christ but no longer with us corporally.

In order to be used in any official way there are certain things that need to be in place for a relic to be considered authentic. Relics are usually kept in some sort of container such a reliquary as seen here. To the left the rear of the reliquary has been opened (I do not recommend doing this) and you can see a wax seal with a bishop’s coat of arms on it which testify to the authenticity of the relic. Through the wax are two red stings. All this works together to signify that the relics have not been disturbed. Once the seal or strings are broken the relics can no longer be authenticated and cannot be used in an official manner such as being placed in an altar. This happened locally when someone discovered some small metal boxes inside an altar they were moving and out of curiosity removed the seals and strings to see what was inside. At that point the relics were no longer able to be used in the altar though they are still on display in a respectful fashion.

There is often also a letter of authenticity that accompanies a relic. This is the letter in Latin that accompanies the above relics.

In no way can relics be bought or sold. There are those who try to get around this by not selling the relics but the reliquary in which they come. “Buy a reliquary and get a free relic.” This is a practice of the lowest degree.

It should be held in mind that first class relics of saints are part of their bodies and are deserving of proper care and respect. They should be kept and used in a way fitting of the dignity of the human body. Having one in your home in a box that gets shoved around on a closet shelf is not fitting. In fact, the one above was discovered in a mailbox at a local Church, being given to the Church so that it might be properly cared for.

MAY THEY REST IN PEACE

This is one of those days that not only am I thankful to be Christian, I am particularly thankful to be part of the Catholic Church that is holding onto the teachings of Christ’s Church which so many have abandoned. Is the hope testified to in the Scriptures too much to hope for some?

I friend stopped by last night, B., who offered to come by today and serve a mass for my dead relatives who died a number of years ago. In return I also remember all of his loved ones too. It was interesting that we both admitted to, even as kids, not experiencing the death of others the way so many people do. We share a sense that even if we were sad for our own sakes, there was also an underlying joy and an assurance that this separation was somehow so temporary.

But further than that is, as members of the one Body of Christ that has Christ as its head, we are still somehow mystically united. Our prayers for each other still flow back and forth.

Not too much before the death of my mother, Bishop Pilla, the bishop of this diocese at the time, experienced the death of his. At the end of Mom’s funeral mass he came down off of the altar to speak to the family. “I’m not able to tell you how, but I can tell you that you will have and know the presence of your mother.” And we have, not in a “Halloweenish” kind of way, but as a consolation from God.

I have family that does not believe in an afterlife. Actually, my Father is much that way. The silent desperation in his later years is a sad thing to see and there is little to be done about it. “Do you know why I live life so hard,” he once asked me, “Because I have to get it all in before it is all over.” He can’t envision anything beyond what is right now and so there is no hope beyond waking up tomorrow. As a 40 year old he was fine with that. As an 87 year old it is positively depressing. And the death of his friends is utter destruction which no hope can comfort.

To think – to know - with the assurances of Scripture and Tradition of not only 2000 years of Christianity, but reaching back into the books of Maccabees, Sirach, and even Job that our prayers can touch and assist those who have gone before us. And to know that “all the ties of love and affection which unite together in life do not unravel with death.” That there is but one Body of Christ all pulling for each other. That death is an illusion and a poor one at that for the one who can see the strings dangling. Knowing this makes life no longer just bearable, but joyful. Death is no longer a divider but something that unites. 87 years means no longer desperation, but even if it can be scary, there is indestructible hope.

Praise God.

FOR ALL YOU DO, THIS SAINT'S FOR YOU

A denomination is really pushing an open door policy. T.V. and radio adds, signs on the church buildings all proclaim that they are open to all. A very nice Catholic sentiment, catholic meaning universal, the Church for all times, all people, and all places.

A deeper look however shows that it means something quite a bit different. A good portion of their airtime is spent reciting a list of things that they do not care about. They don’t care what you are wearing, what your marital status is, how you are practicing your particular orientation, what nation you are from, in fact, they don’t seem to care very much about anything. One wonders if they care if you show up.

Who does Jesus become in this scenario? A nice God/man who could not break out of the social constructs of His time. Fortunately He entrusted His Church to people who could get with the times and correct His teaching, which, by the by, just so happens to correspond to modern social morays. By fortunate coincidence that means we have to change very little to follow God. We get together for a collective slap on the back from God once a week (hopefully), feel good about ourselves, and learn that the only real sin is to have judgment.

This is religion reduced to the therapeutic. Does God love you for who and where you are? Yes. Of course He does. But He does not intend to leave you there. He has greater plans for you. He wants to transform you into the best version of yourself you can be. That does not mean giving you some false sense of self-esteem so you can feel good about dong whatever you want but by cooperating with the grace that He gives you through His sacraments, His teachings, His Church, and His call to an authentic freedom, community, and way of living and becoming something greater than yourself and your own concerns to be a beacon for others.

That is the glory of this Feast of All Saints! That we see ordinary people from all walks of life and from every condition imaginable not seeking a God who will accept whatever bone they wish to throw Him but rising to the call of the Divine, to being transformed and breaking out of themselves, to be what He made us to be.

Don’t forget, today is a holy day of obligation.

OF DEVILS AND BARNEYS

Perhaps because every job I’ve ever had either required the wearing of a costume or uniform, getting dressed up for Halloween has never seemed very intriguing. Actually it was a good day not to get dressed up. It is not always that fun.

One time Monsignor Novicky at St. Greg’s asked me to help out at the parish carnival (I was a lowly seminarian) and I naively said, “Sure, whatever you want.”

“Oh really,” he said.

Mistake.

Unfortunately it was during the time when Barney the giant purple dinosaur was outlandishly, almost demonically popular. He walked me into a room where a bunch of padding, furry purple clothes, and an empty dinosaur head were sitting on a table. “Why don’t you put that on, walk around the grounds a little and give the kids a thrill.”

I hated Barney. But such is life.

I struggled into the costume that was obviously made for a smaller person and a teenager was assigned to guide me around since I could barely see and had almost already killed myself on a set of stairs. We stepped outside, (this is not an exaggeration) and I swear I took no more than two steps when kids from every single point on the compass turned like a pride of hungry lions picking up on the sent of raw meat and let out a collective roar of, “IT’S BARNEY,” abandoned their parents and came tearing across the grounds towards me. It was one of the scariest moments of my life.

Such is the power of getting dressed up. We get to be something we are not and afforded the chance to see a little bit what it might be like. (I now know I never want to be Barney.) Hence one may not simply get dressed up, but one must be dressed up as something they are not in every day life. For example, I may not go to a costume party dressed as a priest. But my best non-priest friend may. Although I suppose I could go as a Zombie priest.

Don’t you think the last thing Dracula or the Wolfman wants to be on Halloween is Dracula and the Wolfman? I bet even Superman and Wonderwoman want to be somebody else just one day. They probably put on T-shirts, jeans, and boat shoes and hang as just plain people.

There are some things that are still taboo. Prince William learned this not to long ago when he went to a costume party dressed as a Nazi. There are still lines that cannot be crossed easily. It put a certain fright into people who wondered, “Is this revealing something about the man inside the costume?”

Typically within an hour costumes and personas begin to be dropped for comfort and company sake. (It’s hard to eat a slice of pizza with a trident in your hand or to have the entire extent of your conversation with someone be about how you want to bite their neck.) Even Superman starts feeling naked without his cape.

I still am uncomfortable saying that it is Okay to pretend to be something that Jesus spent so much of His time exorcizing while He hung out with us, but I am much more concerned with the type of saint a person is attempting to be the rest of the 364 days and 20 hours of the year. The work is not in rehabilitating Halloween, but reinvigorating the life of the Church. Demons, ghouls, and bandits (and is it just me or are there less and less of these?) are a symptom not the problem. Observe tonight. Enjoy. Plan for tomorrow.

TUESDAY QUOTE OF THE WEEK XXXVII

FINDING TRUTH WHEREVER IT MAY BE FOUND: “Stop crying and be consoled because Basil is in heaven praying for us all and offering sacrifice.” Gregory Naziazun on the death of Saint Basil

QUOTE II: “Every devil must have a face. Even if it is a wolf’s face, even if it is a serpent’s face, even if it is a tobacoist’s. It must be something we can know and recognize, it must be in our own image or very close to it, it must be animal or human or some hybrid of the two. Because, what else can we imagine? What else have we seen?” - Hillary Mantel

IN OTHER NEWS:

Don’t forget that All Saint's Day is a holy day of obligation this year! Check that mass schedule as you make you plans!

This is kind of fun. Go here to carve you own cyber-pumpkin. Thanks for sending it in Mickie.


The Diocese of Cleveland E-Newsletter recommends this for redeeming the celebration of All-Hallows-Eve.


I took this picture at a bon-fire recently and thought it was pretty cool and so thought to share it with you.

A GHOST OF A CHANCE

A number of years ago I worked as a carpenter in a theater. As all theaters are rumored this one sported tales of its very own ghost who banged around in the catwalks at night scaring the night security guards. We were running way behind schedule and I found myself working late into the night, falling asleep in the theater several nights in a row. Sure enough I heard the banging. It was loud enough to wake me out of a very sound sleep. Was it a ghost?

Saint Thomas Aquinas tells us that at death the soul is separated from the body like a ball full of air that has been pushed underwater and then let go. Immediately the soul either soars to heaven or plunges into hell. So does that discount the possibility of ghosts according to Church teaching?

Not exactly. Most people, I think, would be shocked at how much the Church has not made a definitive statement on and ghosts are one of those things. There are allowances for the possibility of them. Some of those possibilities involve purgatory. Some souls are going to heaven but have not yet been completely cleansed of their earthly attachments and so must go through a purgation as nothing unclean will enter before the presence of God. We only have a sketchy and somewhat symbolic idea of what purgatory is. Is there a possibility that a soul might have some dealings with earthly things as part of its purgation? Maybe.

There may also be the case too that God might allow us to see either in dream or vision a person deceased in order to remind us to pray for them or to call us to holiness. Samuel prophesied from the grave and we readily accept for the possibility of saint speaking to us such as at Fatima.

Of course we also know that angels as a cosmic force act in the world. We have only to look at the Annunciation for that. But if good angels can act, so can evil ones. We see this in the demons that Christ regularly banished from people.

I am highly skeptical about such activity but still find it something not to mess around with. Every diocese has an exorcist and they aint around for kicks (though they are very seldom called upon). But the other world is like electricity. Properly experienced there is absolutely nothing dangerous or wrong with it. Improperly used it can kill you.

Are we forbidden contact with the next world? No! We do it all the time. But we do it as God bids us. It is called prayer and intercession. Even legitimate scientific study is not completely outlawed “provided there is no recourse to means that are essentially immoral or specifically forbidden.”

But trying to control cosmic forces, using spirits to gain knowledge from God’s realm, (a form of divination) evocation of the dead, these are all forbidden actions. Such actions lead to superstition, possibilities of being frauded, and the very real chance that one is dealing with a decepting spirit.

If you feel you are being visited by a “ghost”, I would probably think there was more likely a more earthly explanation. But if not, if it is of God there is nothing to fear. Pray. If it is not of God, you have nothing to fear for you always have God. Pray.

Though I tend not to believe in such things, tired of being kept up late at night in that theater I climbed up into the catwalks and said a prayer for the soul of our “ghost”. The banging stopped. From then on. That means I either prayed a cure for the hot water pipes, or perhaps a soul went to his reward. Who knows?